Chapter 355 – Disaster Control: Child of Destiny

Emerging from the dust and smoke was none other than Mu Lin. What left everyone stunned into silence was that even after being struck directly by a meteor, Mu Lin had suffered remarkably few injuries.

Even the radiant robe enveloping him remained largely intact.

It could only be said that the hundreds of units of Baleful Qi Mu Lin had cultivated were not for nothing.

His foundation was now so profoundly solid that his Mana alone, along with its inherent properties, could drive others to utter despair.

“He… he’s actually unharmed.”

“It feels as though Mu Lin has now transcended the realm of a Prodigy and become a true powerhouse.”

“I share that feeling. He has completely left us behind…”

Some sighed in admiration, while others, struck by a sudden thought, lit up with excitement.

“Hey, do you think with Mu Lin’s strength, after clearing the youth division, he could conquer the young adult division as well?”

“That… might be a bit difficult. The age limit for the young adult division is forty-nine—there are those at the Mortal Shedding Pinnacle…”

“Even if he can’t clear it entirely, he could still defeat a few. And if a Gang Sha practitioner were to triumph over a Mortal Shedding expert, the northern region would lose all face…”

…

Mu Lin paid no heed to the discussions among the youths outside the Arena. Instead, he looked somewhat surprised at the Book of Life and Death in his hand.

“So, your ability isn’t merely summoning flames or thunder, but rather controlling calamity.”

“Child of Mars—that title suits you well.”

In the world, there exists the celestial phenomenon known as “Mars guarding the Heart,” which makes the name “Mars” highly inauspicious. It symbolizes great disasters such as war and slaughter, or major calamities like the death of an emperor or the loss of the Son of Heaven’s throne.

Furthermore, in ancient times, the planet Mars was often associated with ominous signs such as rebellion, disease, mourning, famine, and warfare.

Luo Chen, who controlled calamity and summoned disasters, being called the Child of Mars was indeed fitting.

At the same time, Mu Lin understood why his reflective and substitution-based counterattacks had failed to harm his opponent.

“Ordinary attacks—whether it’s flames burning, icy cold piercing, blades and weapons striking, or diseases, toxins, thunder… all of these are forms of calamity. And since they are calamities, you can control and absorb them. Thus, ordinary attacks are completely ineffective against you, only adding to your power?”

Listening to Mu Lin’s words, Luo Chen on the opposite side nodded.

“You are correct. I can absorb and control most attacks.”

Like Mu Lin, the meteor strike moments ago had caused him little harm.

This was partly because the meteor had struck Mu Lin directly, leaving Luo Chen only affected by the residual shockwaves, which were less powerful.

Moreover, impact and scorching were also regarded by him as forms of calamity, easily controlled and absorbed.

Thus, he too remained unharmed.

To be honest, this calamity-control ability was even more vexing than Mu Lin’s substitution technique.

Ninety-nine percent of the attacks in the world, as well as methods of causing death, could be considered forms of calamity and thus absorbed and controlled by Luo Chen.

In other words, most of the myriad techniques in this floating world were ineffective against him—an ability that could be called invincible.

What was even more enviable was that this calamity-control ability was not a Forbidden Power but a talent Luo Chen was born with.

As a result, this mastery over calamity almost never spiraled out of control.

Such a formidable innate ability even gave Mu Lin a feeling—that the Luo Chen before him was the savior, the Child of Destiny, born from the world’s response to a crisis.

This was not mere speculation. If the Heavenly Dao and Human Dao sensed the impending apocalypse, they would indeed expend their essence to allow numerous ruins to emerge and many individuals of extraordinary talent to be born in succession.

Thus, most worlds on the brink of apocalypse could be considered a Golden Age.

And the world Mu Lin now inhabited already had this flavor.

The Savior Organization prophesied the future, the Golden Crow descended into the world, and the Demon Race also saw the birth of the White Tiger, the Winged Golden Tiger, and the Black Fiend Tiger.

The Qingqiu Fox Clan had the Nine-Tailed Celestial Fox, and the Feather Clan had Tian Yun, who could sense the future.

Even the Dragon Clan, which had long struggled to produce offspring, witnessed the simultaneous birth of nine dragon sons.

In addition, the Grave Lord Ruins and other ruins were emerging one after another.

Clearly, this was the world saving itself.

At the same time, although both the Heavenly Dao and Human Dao sought to save the world, their essence was ultimately limited. As a result, their favor toward the heroes of salvation varied. Luo Chen, who possessed the Power of Calamity, was undoubtedly among those most favored by the Heavenly Dao.

However, even knowing that Luo Chen was a chosen son of fate and that his abilities were virtually invincible, Mu Lin felt no sense of defeat, nor did he believe he would lose.

The reason for this was:

“The Power of Calamity is strong, even invincible, but you are not. You likely cannot absorb calamities beyond your capacity to endure.”

“Moreover, you cannot absorb or control high-level forces like Forbidden Power.”

“…”

This speculation left Luo Chen silent.

Just as Mu Lin had said, with his limited strength, he could not absorb calamities that exceeded his limits.

Previously, this had not been a serious issue.

Because he could grow by absorbing the Power of Calamity, and the Northern Wastelands were now filled with such power, his growth had always been rapid, and few cultivators of the same rank could surpass him.

But facing Mu Lin, an existence beyond the norm, he had no confidence at all.

As he remained silent, Mu Lin spoke again.

“Admit defeat. You are no match for me.”

“Impossible. No matter what, I will not lose.”

Seeing his resolute expression and realizing persuasion was futile, Mu Lin shook his head and gave up. Instead, he took out a Paper Figure and casually tossed it.

“Roar!”

As soon as the Paper Figure appeared, a Dragon Roar echoed, and a lifelike Ink Jiao materialized in mid-air.

Ink Jiao – Hebo!

A terrifying existence that wielded the Forbidden Power of Black River Water.

Because Mu Lin’s foundation had grown more profound and he had refined a great deal of Gang and Sha Qi, Ink Jiao – Hebo had also undergone changes.

The most significant and important change was the increase in the Black River Water it controlled.

“Roar!”

“Splash…”

After a roar, countless Black River Water materialized out of thin air. This water merged with Ink Jiao Hebo, causing its body to uncontrollably expand and undergo Giant Transformation.

Soon, a three-hundred-meter-long ink-colored Jiao Dragon soared into the sky.

This Jiao was entirely composed of Black River Water, but this did not weaken it; instead, it appeared even more dangerous and forbidden.

“Fire Calamity Disaster!”

“Wind Disaster!”

Luo Chen sensed this danger and immediately sought to control it. However, he could not control Forbidden Power at all.

Helpless, he could only summon countless flames and enlist the aid of fierce winds, combining them into a massive fire tornado in an attempt to incinerate the ink-colored Jiao Dragon.

Unfortunately, this too proved futile.

A sufficient amount of fire can indeed incinerate water, but the water composing Ink Jiao – Hebo is the Black River Water capable of dissolving all things.

What is even more terrifying is that the Gang Qi refined by Mu Lin, the Primordial Chaos Yuan Gang, has also been infused into the Black River Water.

This serves two purposes: first, to dilute and counteract, making the Black River Water more controllable.

Second, to enhance its ability to dissolve all things.

When these two dissolution abilities resonate and amplify each other, even the massive fire tornado summoned by Luo Chen—hundreds of meters tall and seemingly capable of incinerating everything—was dissolved the moment it made contact with Ink Jiao.

“Damn it!”

“Wind, thunder, fire, ice…”

Realizing the terrifying power of the ink-colored Jiao Dragon, Luo Chen immediately began waving his hands, summoning endless calamities in an attempt to halt Ink Jiao – Hebo.

But it was futile. No matter the attack, the moment it touched Ink Jiao – Hebo, it would be silently dissolved.

All abilities, all Spells, seemed utterly useless before Ink Jiao – Hebo.

It was like a Black Hole, dissolving everything.

After realizing that none of the calamities he summoned could harm Ink Jiao – Hebo, Luo Chen thought of evading.

Unfortunately, the Arena was narrow, and Ink Jiao’s speed while Riding Clouds and Mist was not slow, leaving Luo Chen no room to maneuver.

In the end, after some delay, he was still caught up by Ink Jiao – Hebo and coiled at its very center.

“Hiss…”

As the two made contact, the Black River Water immediately began corroding and dissolving Luo Chen’s Mana and flesh.

Under such circumstances, defeat was certain. If this were an ordinary duel, Luo Chen would have surrendered long ago.

But this battle was about far too much—he could not afford to lose.

Thus, even as his Mana and flesh were being dissolved, he refused to concede. Instead, he frantically drove his own power.

“I cannot lose, I will not lose! I am the Calamity Lord, I can control all calamities!”

Screaming madly, he desperately burned his will and his Mana—unwilling to accept defeat, he sought to control the calamity that was the Black River Water.

It must be said that Calamity Control was indeed formidable. By pushing this talent to its limits, Luo Chen truly gained a sliver of resistance to the Black River Water.

Given enough time, if he gradually made contact with the Black River Water, he might indeed have been able to bring this calamity under his control.

Unfortunately, there was no time for gradual contact or cautious probing.

The terrifying Black River Water rapidly dissolved his Mana and flesh. Even though he could regenerate his flesh by absorbing the calamity of “bodily injury,” the speed of regeneration was far outpaced by the corrosion and dissolution inflicted by the Black River Water.

In an extremely short time, nearly all his skin and flesh had been dissolved, exposing his bones and internal organs.

Seeing this, Mu Lin shook his head.

“Give up. You are strong, but I am stronger.”

As he spoke, Mu Lin was already preparing to manipulate Ink Jiao – Hebo to throw Luo Chen out of the Arena.

But just as Mu Lin was about to do so, a sudden change occurred.

Due to Mu Lin’s carelessness, the Black River Water within his Ink Jiao – Hebo went out of control for a brief moment.

Although, in the next moment, as Mu Lin’s gaze sharpened and a flash of blazing fire flickered in his eyes, the Black River Water was once again brought under control by him using the Dominion Flame.

But in that brief span of time, Luo Chen had already seized the opportunity to fly out from within Ink Jiao – Hebo’s body.

And now, suspended mid-air, the aura around him was intensifying, surging wildly, and exploding with power.

Luo Chen—had broken through in the midst of battle.

“?!!”

(End of Chapter)